Atmel Introduces Power Management Unit Dedicated to Camera and Sound Supply in Feature Phones

ROUSSET, France, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation announced today the release of its AT73C212 Power Management standard Integrated Circuit (IC); the latest Atmel IC specifically designed for multimedia section supply in new-generation feature phones. Manufactured on Atmel's low-cost mainstream CMOS process, the AT73C212 is designed to supply and regulate power to CMOS or CCD camera modules, MP3 or polyphonic sound generators, a multimedia coprocessor, an external memory module and a USB interface.

The AT73C212 features a comprehensive set of power supplies required for a mid-level multimedia application where camera and sound features are required. Five linear regulators provide output voltage from 1.8V to 2.8V with a wide range of output current between 10mA to 130mA. A switching converter with integrated FET, provides 300mA at 1.8V or 2.5V, is specifically designed to supply a coprocessor core, commonly used as a multimedia engine in feature phones.

"Camera and sound are two key features that induce people to replace their existing basic mobile phones with new models. In 2004, analysts predict that 32% of mobile phones will be sold with these two features. This number will grow to 50% in 2005," commented Michele Casetta, Marketing Manager for Atmel's Power Management Product Line. "One of the biggest issues for mobile phone manufacturers is to integrate sound and image capture in the same or even smaller area than that of the present handsets. Every square millimeter in the PCB is precious. The AT73C212 integrates 6 voltage supply cells in a single package. It saves space, it saves money."

Atmel offers the AT73C212 in a 5 x 5 mm, 32-ball ultra-thin BGA in order to satisfy portable device manufacturers' minimum space requirements. It is also available in 5 x 5 mm 32-QFN package for reduced number of PCB layers. The AT73C212 is available now mounted on a reference design board or as engineering samples. Suggested resale price is US$3.50 per unit in the quantity of 1,000

About Atmel

Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose, California with manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. Atmel designs, manufactures and markets worldwide, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and RF semiconductors. Atmel is also a leading provider of system-level integration semiconductor solutions using CMOS, BiCMOS, SiGe, and high-voltage BCDMOS process technologies.

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Information:

For further information on the AT73C212, go to: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3320

  Press Contacts:

   Peter Bishop, Communications Manager, Atmel Rousset,
   Tel: (+33) (0) 4 42 53 61 50, Email: peter.bishop@rfo.atmel.com
   Clive Over, Director of Press Relations - USA and Asia,
   Tel: (+1) 408 451 2855,Email: cliveover@atmel.com
   Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe,
   Tel : (+33) (0)1 30 60 70 68, Email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com

CONTACT: Peter Bishop, Communications Manager of Atmel Rousset,
+33 0 4 42 53 61 50, or peter.bishop@rfo.atmel.com, or Clive Over, Director of
Press Relations - USA and Asia, +1-408 451 2855, or cliveover@atmel.com, or
Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe,
+33 0 1 30 60 70 68, or veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, all of Atmel
Corporation

Web site: http://www.atmel.com/